Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Lake Whitney Elementary School Parents Overwhelmingly Support a Roundabout

UPDATED MARCH 13 -- At a Community Meeting last night, Lake Whitney Elementary School parents and nearby neighbors overwhelmingly supported a proposal for a roundabout at the intersection of Roberson and Windermere Roads instead of Orange County's current plans to add lanes on Roberson. One community leader estimated that about one hundred residents voted for the roundabout proposal in Commissioner Boyd's informal poll. I didn't count the number of "yes" votes, but can confirm that support was overwhelming and that only two residents voted in opposition.

Jurgen Duncan, the Canin Associates transportation designer who designed the Windermere roundabouts, explained that single-lane roundabouts can accommodate up to 25,000 vehicles a day. He said that the County plans only address east and westbound traffic. He said a roundabout would alleviate north and southbound motorist congestion as well. He presented the following conceptual drawing:

I'm told that two transportation engineers who looked at the intersection concluded that a roundabout would work. Kelly Morphy, a Lake Whitney Elementary School Mom and leader of the community effort, gave a wonderful presentation, expressing that the intersection should be a "people place," given the proximity to George Bailey Park, the elementary school, and 3,000 residents within one mile.

I urged those attending the meeting to get out of the cars and walk around one of the roundabouts in the Town of Windermere on foot. I said they would find that roundabouts slow traffic so that pedestrians and motorists can make eye contact. Motorists will slow to a stop and motion pedestrians across. I said this civility happens virtually everyday in the Town of Windermere. (Roundabouts not only saved Windermere taxpayers millions in road widening costs, but also the Town's charming character). Theresa Myers, a resident of the Town, said that she and her children walk and bike the roundabout by Windermere Elementary School, including during rush hour, and that she finds it safe. Other residents expressed similar experiences.

I said that the Federal Highway Administration now accepts roundabouts as a "proven safety countermeasure." I pointed out that the Windermere roundabouts ended mile-long traffic back-ups. I said, "We know from our common experience that they work."

Jurgen explained that modern roundabouts have very precise angles of deflection to slow traffic, normally to between 15-20 mph. County officials pointed to "roundabouts" in Avalon (really a large traffic circle) and near Lake Reams in Horizon West. Tory Parish disagreed with the latter characterization, calling the Horizon West rotary "a high speed sling-shot."

Residents expressed concern with the type of development the current road widening proposal would encourage. Kelly suggested that a roundabout would encourage more desirable development.

Residents also expressed a willingness to delay relief from congestion at the intersection in order to "get it done right."

Jurgen said a roundabout would cost between $350,000 - $450,000. Jurgen's plan, as currently laid-out, would require the County to acquire about 500 square feet at a corner, whereas the County's current plans require no right-of-way acquisition. (The County's current plans would cost about $495,000, including over $100,000 for design work already done). Winter Garden City Manager Mike Bollhoeffer indicated that the City could contribute funds budgeted for intersection improvements. Ocoee Mayor Scott Vandergrift said that impact fees from the Belmere development, not yet spent, were another possible source of funding.

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About this Blog

I converted my old campaign website into this blog. After Commissioner Boyd appointed me to the Orange County Planning and Zoning Board, I decided to use this blog to discuss issues of importance affecting local government, and to expound on ideas for improving our built environment.

At community meeting after community meeting, citizens express outrage and opposition to new development proposals. Citizens appear before the Planning and Zoning Board, fearful that approval will enable another McDonald's with cartoon architecture or another strip shopping center with a massive, half-empty parking lot in front. Attitudes toward our built environment range mostly from dislike to indifference.

The 1960s-era suburban sprawl model causes traffic congestion, traps our children, the disabled, and elderly in subdivisions without transportation, and produces strip commercial development of poor aesthetic quality. We build sidewalks without shade trees despite Florida's oppresive summer heat. We build subdivisions with 60% or more of each house front devoted to a blank garage. Having turned our roadways into highways, our kids can no longer walk to school.

There is a better way. We are fortunate to have real-world models in Central Florida founded on principles of New (and traditional) Urbanism--Baldwin Park, Celebration, Avalon Park, and Winter Park's Park Avenue--for all to experience. However, our zoning codes make walkable communities illegal (without jumping through innmerable hoops).

I am hopeful this blog will help educate about the benefits of form-based zoning reforms enacted in 2010 in Miami and Denver and under consideration in other cities. The new codes, over the course of decades, can change development configurations from suburban sprawl to walkable urbanism. I compiled the links below to provide you with a multitude of sources. I am hopeful you will join me in advocating a better way.

Rick

"The Legality of Form-Based Zoning Codes," Journal of Land Use... (FL State Univ School of Law)

About Rick

I am a partner with Fishback Dominick in Winter Park, a law firm founded in 1935, where I practice in the areas of business and commercial litigation and, on a selective basis, land use law. I taught Land Use Law as an adjunct professor in the Master of Planning in Civic Urbanism program at Rollins College, in Winter Park, Florida for three years. I previously served as an Orange County Planning and Zoning Commissioner, appointed by District 1 Commissioner Scott Boyd. I reside in Winter Park with my wife, Gabriela, and four terrific kids.

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Below you'll find links to interesting blogs and websites relating to transportation, the law, and the built environment. I don't necessarily agree with all positions taken by the blogging authors, but generally find them well-informed and thoughtful.